Bruckner symphonies

Started by USMC1960s, December 03, 2022, 02:31:32 PM

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USMC1960s

Of the 11, which are considered his best?
I did a search but didn't come up with anything.

LKB

" Best " is a bit subjective, particularly in the context of a forum where tastes can vary widely among the admirers of any given composer.

The 4th and 7th symphonies are generally labeled as " most popular ". I enjoy them both, but spend more time with the 5th and 8th symphonies.

Hopefully that helps a bit.  ;)
Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

USMC1960s


Wanderer

My personal favourites are Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 (with the finale).

vandermolen

Quote from: Wanderer on December 03, 2022, 10:17:15 PMMy personal favourites are Nos. 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 (with the finale).
Those are my favourites as well although No.6 as well. 5, 8 and 9 I would consider to be the greatest.
"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm" (Churchill).

'The test of a work of art is, in the end, our affection for it, not our ability to explain why it is good' (Stanley Kubrick).

lordlance

I would consider his 3rd as my favorite and 2nd and 7th the worst of the 9 (I gave up trying to hear the 0 mid-way during first movement.)

If you want a personal recommendation of the Third: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8e7wlkqUlY
If you are interested in listening to orchestrations of solo/chamber music, you might be interested in this thread. Feel free to contribute and make the list grow!

Biffo

The 7th and the 9th (without the Finale) are my favourites. I can't get on with the 6th at all.

Cato

Quote from: Dave B on December 03, 2022, 02:31:32 PMOf the 11, which are considered his best?
I did a search but didn't come up with anything.


DUDE!  Are you trying to start a fight?!   ;D  8)

You could start with Symphony #1, or even Symphony #0, and work your way through.

I happened across the score of Bruckner's Symphony #7 first, and was instantly hooked, apparently for all time!  After that I absorbed everything and liked everything!

The Ninth (with the Finale - see the Bruckner section under Composer Discussion) is certainly a top favorite, along with #5, #6, #1, #4, original versions of #3 and #2, and of course the mighty Seventh and Eighth!
"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

USMC1960s

#8
My attempt at starting a Bruckner Brawl was a failure!
I should have worded my request differently. I.e. which are considered the most popular, not the "best", as someone suggested.

Jo498

as others have written, the most popular are the 4th and 7th. For decades when Bruckner's music was no way as popular outside Austria as it is today, these were the main ones one was likely to hear in the concert hall. I personally don't care much for the 4th after the first few minutes but I love the 7th. It's the most melodic and lyrical, so I recommend it. All Bruckner symphonies are fairly long and might require patience and several attempts. So you should certainly also try the others.

I'd also advise you to completely ignore alternative versions, start with the most common ones and especially ignore listeners obsessing over Bruckner version, especially those preferring the uncommon versions. It's a nerdy niche and utterly confusing (not to say repulsive) for a newbie.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

USMC1960s

Thank you. Any recommendations re recording or ensemble?

Cato

Quote from: Dave B on December 05, 2022, 11:01:57 AMMy attempt at starting a Bruckner Brawl was a failure!

 

 ;D

Quote from: Dave B on December 05, 2022, 11:34:40 AMThank you. Any recommendations re recording or ensemble?


Any work conducted by Eugen Jochum is a sure bet!

e.g.

"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

LKB

#12
Quote from: Dave B on December 05, 2022, 11:34:40 AMThank you. Any recommendations re recording or ensemble?

I'm not familiar with any Bruckner recordings before 1960 or so, but I'm sure others can recommend their favorites.


The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra have a fairly well-established Bruckner tradition, and their recordings with Jochum and Haitink have had my respect for decades.

Von Karajan's recordings with the  Berlin Philharmonic and Vienna Philharmonic are well-regarded by many, myself among them.

Then we have Sergiu Celibidache's efforts with the Munich Philharmonic. He certainly has his adherents, and I can understand the attraction... the guy was SERIOUS ( and, unfortunately, a world-class a-hole ). But tbh I only really enjoy parts of his interpretation of Bruckner's 4th.

And since I've brought up the 4th, I feel obligated to mention Karl Boehm's legendary recording with the VPO for  Decca. If you can only have one 4th, I'd opt for that one.

( Edited to add " one " to the final sentence.,)

Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

Cato

Quote from: LKB on December 05, 2022, 10:52:37 PMAnd since I've brought up the 4th, I feel obligated to mention Karl Boehm's legendary recording with the VPO for  Decca. If you can only have 4th, I'd opt for that one.



Is this the one?


And speaking of "Karl" conductors, not to be forgotten is Carl Schuricht:


"Meet Miss Ruth Sherwood, from Columbus, Ohio, the Middle of the Universe!"

- Brian Aherne introducing Rosalind Russell in  My Sister Eileen (1942)

LKB

Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

Daverz

Quote from: Dave B on December 05, 2022, 11:01:57 AMMy attempt at starting a Bruckner Brawl was a failure!
I should have worded my request differently. I.e. which are considered the most popular, not the "best", as someone suggested.

My guess is that the order of popularity is something like:

4, 7, 9, 8, 3, 6, 1, 2, 0, Symphony in F

I'd just get the Jochum/Warner box and not worry about No. 0 and Symphony in F on a first pass.  The Jochum complete Warner box includes the Bruckner cycle and also great Beethoven and Brahms symphony cycles.







bhodges

Quote from: Daverz on December 06, 2022, 12:57:10 PMMy guess is that the order of popularity is something like:

4, 7, 9, 8, 3, 6, 1, 2, 0, Symphony in F

I'd just get the Jochum/Warner box and not worry about No. 0 and Symphony in F on a first pass.  The Jochum complete Warner box includes the Bruckner cycle and also great Beethoven and Brahms symphony cycles.




I can be happy with these recs—both for the most popular symphonies (4 and 7) and with Jochum's versions, at least to start. The Fourth opens with some of the most beautiful French horn calls anywhere, and the Seventh starts with one of the most gorgeous cello lines. My personal faves are 8 and 9, but they can be perhaps a bit sprawling for newcomers.

-Bruce

Jo498

Quote from: Daverz on December 06, 2022, 12:57:10 PMMy guess is that the order of popularity is something like:

4, 7, 9, 8, 3, 6, 1, 2, 0, Symphony in F

You forgot #5. ;) I think 8 is third in popularity and the drop for 1,2 and then for 0,00 is very sharp. The 5th is probably behind 9 but before 3 and 6. The 3 is a great companion to 4 but the most frequently recorded version a bit problematic.

What should also not be forgotten is that Bruckner used to be considered an acquired taste as recently as the 1980s. I think the "least Brucknerian" and most lyrical and melodic are 7 and 6, so these are worth trying for those who don't immediately take to the general style of the composer.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Daverz

Quote from: Jo498 on December 07, 2022, 12:56:10 AMYou forgot #5. ;)

Oops.  I think it would come in after 6.  Perhaps 5 is -- or was, back in the day when 6 was played and recorded very rarely -- more popular with conductors than 6.

Jo498

There are far more recordings of the 5th outside complete cycles, I believe, and by famous conductors, e.g. Furtwängler, Schuricht, Harnoncourt, the additional Jochum.
In my impression, the 4th and 7th were seen as the accessible ones and the 5th after the 8th as the "big one", with the mysterious unfinished 9th maybe a bit more popular than the 5th but none of the "lesser" ones.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal